Forthcoming Gigs in November & December
Wed 22 November 2023 - The Barn Theatre
Southwick Community Centre
Last opportunity in 2023 to see the BBB in open rehearsal absolutely free of charge. See under the flesh - the skeleton of what keeps the body of a big band together - the bones, the horns, the wind and the beating heart of the rhythm section.The band will be in casual attire and our MD John Woodward will guide you through the work of the evening so you know what's going on.
A licensed bar will be available and open all evening.
Last opportunity in 2023 to see the BBB in open rehearsal absolutely free of charge. See under the flesh - the skeleton of what keeps the body of a big band together - the bones, the horns, the wind and the beating heart of the rhythm section.
The band will be in casual attire and our MD John Woodward will guide you through the work of the evening so you know what's going on.
A licensed bar will be available and open all evening.
Start time 8.00pm Finish time 10.00pm
Friday 27 October 2023
Sunday 23 July 2023 - Eastbourne Bandstand
BBB are back at the Bandstand with a new selection of classic swing tunes, latin toe-tappers and famous TV themes. The band will be joined by Brighton vocalist Dave Williams singing the Sinatra songbook and more...
Starts 3.00pm finishes 4.30pm.
Tickets £4 (£2 children) available from: https://www.eastbournebandstand.co.uk/traditional
Sunday 25 June 2023
Seafront Terraces, Rottingdean
Starts 3.00pm finishes 4.45pm with a 15 minute interval
Entrance is free but a retiring collection will be made for Rottingdean Arts.
The band will play a selection of the great swing tunes from the hands of Miller, Ellington and Basie et al. Dave Brown will be singing the music of Sinatra, Darin & Buble.
Don't miss this annual musicfest of sing & swing!
Entrance is free but a retiring collection will be made for Rottingdean Arts.
The band will play a selection of the great swing tunes from the hands of Miller, Ellington and Basie et al. Dave Brown will be singing the music of Sinatra, Darin & Buble.
Don't miss this annual musicfest of sing & swing!
Wednesday 24 May 2023 - The Barn Theatre, Southwick Community Centre
The band will be performing in open rehearsal at the beginning of new relationship with the Southwick Community Centre as their rehearsal base. We are so excited about this new prospect that we want you to come and share with our first open rehearsal in the superb Barn Theatre - as FREE entry.
The band will be rehearsing a range of their material, some new to the band, some old favourites but please expect time out for rehearsal notes between numbers and stoppages will try to be kept to a mininum. It will be a great opportunity to see a big band in rehearsal and get to know the band members during the break at the pay bar which will open prior to the rehearsal.
Start time is 8.00pm
Finish time 10.00pm
Finish time 10.00pm
Saturday 18 Match at the Charmandean Centre
An evening of classic big band tunes, latin and TV themes
with vocals supplied by Ruth Fahie.
The gig is a charity event to raise funds for Worthing Hospital.
Tickets are £12 in advance at www.eventbrite and search for "The Brighton Big Band at the Charmandean" or £15 on the door.
Doors open 7.00pm
Charmandean Centre, Forest Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 9HS
Recent gig at the Brunswick
Sunday 8 January Brunswick Pub Holland Road Hove
Doors open at 7.30pm. Music at 8.00pmThe band will be playing a mix of swing rock and latin numbers and joined by Dave "Sinatra" Williams on vocals. Entrance is free but there will be a collection for the band during the evening.
Hope you can join the band for their first gig of 2023!
Friday 11 November 2023 at 7.30pm
Past Gigs
Kipling Gardens Rottingdean
Saturday 30 July Kipling Gardens, RottingdeanStarts 7.00pm until 11.00pm Parc Swings & Hog Roast.....The band will be playing some lively dance tunes and songs performed by our Sinatra style singer Dave Williams and the superb Ruth Fahie.
Tickets £25 available in advance ONLY (No tickets on the door) from Sally or Cathy at PARCSWINGS@GMAIL.COM and include Hog Roast or a vegetarian alternative. A cash bar will be available for refreshments.The event is sponsored by Fairfax.
Seafront Terraces Rottingdean
Sunday 26 June 2022 at 3.00pm
The band will be playing again at this wonderful seafront venue with a selection of tunes from the swing era by Miller, Ellington, Basie et al to entertain and to dance to. Our wonderful singer Ruth Fahie will be joining us with a selection of songs made famous by the greats - Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and others.
Entrance free with donation to support the Rottingdean Arts project who provide entertainment for all throughout the year.
Sunday 12 September 2021 at 2.00pm
BBB playing at the Pavilion Gardens in 2019
Brighton Big Band will back at the Pavilion Gardens providing over 2 hours of classic swing jazz from the great Swing Era of Miller, Basie and Ellington. This gig will be our first time back at the Gardens since August 2019 and we will be accompanied by the very fine singer Ruth Fahie and our resident Sinatra-esque Brighton local Dave Williams to make the whole afternoon go "swingingly".
We hope that you can get along to join us - it is free entrance but we will not return any coins or notes sterling thrown in our direction!
The Pavilion Gardens Brighton
The Brighton Big Band
July 2021 Brighton Big Band is Back on the Road Again...
Rottingdean Seafront Terraces
After over 18 months of no gigs, the band is about to break that silence with four fantastic summer gigs. All the gigs are outside and social distancing will be encouraged even in these more liberal Covid 19 conditions.
Sunday 25 July Rottingdean Seafront Terraces. Starts 3.00pm finishes 4.45pm with interval. Entrance is free but a retiring collection will be made for Rottingdean Arts. The band will play a selection of the great swing tunes from the hands of Glen Miller, Duke Ellington and Count Basie et al. Dave Williams will be singing with the band providing his inimitable Sinatra style vocals.
Monday 26 July Eastbourne Bandstand. Doors open 7.30pm, programme starts at 8.00pm and finishes 9.30pm. Entrance £7.00 In advance £5.00 (adult), £2.50 (child) No interval. Bar available. https://www.eastbournebandstand.co.uk/bigbandThe band will play a selection of the great swing tunes from the hands of Glen Miller, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Dave Williams will be singing with the band providing his inimitable Sinatra style vocals.
Monday 30 August Saltdean Oval (Recreation Ground), Brighton. GIG POSTPONED UNTIL 2022
Sunday 12 September Pavilion Gardens Brighton. Starts 2.00pm finishes 4.15pm Entrance is free.The band will play a selection of the great swing tunes from the hands of Glen Miller, Duke Ellington and Count Basie et al. Dave Williams and Ruth Fahie will be singing swing and croon standards from big band repertoire.
Sunday 2 February 2020 at 7.30pm
The Brighton Big Band celebrated the 100th anniversary of the word "jazz" with their first and last gig of 2020. The band played a traditional set of big band swing from the bandstands of Glen Miller, Count Basie and Duke Ellington with a delicious array of Ella Fitzgerald classics sung by Jackie Sampson.Brunswick Pub Gig for the Brighton Big Band Sunday 1 December 2019 at 8.00pm
The band are back at the Brunswick Pub in Hove with Dave Williams providing vocals a la Sinatra and the band playing another selection of swing jazz from the classic to the more modern. Come join the party! Free entrance with leaving collection.http://www.thebrunswick.net/
August gigs for the BBB
A bevy of gigs for the band in August after 2 great gigs in July at the Eastbourne Bandstand. Make sure you get along to at least on of the August gigs while we are on fire along with the weather!
Sunday 18 August at Hanover Street Party 1.00pm to 2.00pm Thursday 22 August on Eastbourne Bandstand at 8.00pm Sunday 25 August at Pavilion Gardens, Brighton at 2.00pm Thursday 29 August on Eastbourne Bandstand at 8.00pm
Eastbourne Bandstand Thursday 11 July 2019
The BBB will be at the Eastbourne Bandstand on Thursday 11 July at 8.00pm. Tickets can be bought in advance for £5.00/Children £2.50 from https://www.eastbournebandstand.co.uk/whats-on/ or from the Bandstand Box Office. Tickets on the night are £7.00/£3.50.
Doors open at 7.30pm and the concert finishes at 8.00pm.
The gig in Rottingdean in memory of Dave Adkin
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| Jackie Sampson |
The band played many big band swing favourites and our wonderful singer, Jackie Sampson, was there once again to sing the songs from the Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan songbooks.
This concert was particularly special as one of our long serving band members, Dave Adkin, died last November aged 81 and was also a resident in Rottingdean. Dave played Alto and Clarinet and up until just a few years ago ran his own band, The Big Band Sounds which is still playing.
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| Dave Adkin |
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| Dave Masters in 2019 |
It was also great to have the original band leader, Dave Masters, who formed the band in 1986 at the performance. We are planning to welcome him back to play in a special performance at the 2020 Brighton Fringe! Watch this space.
Entrance was free of charge but a retiring collection for the Rottingdean Arts Organisation led by Dr Roy and Chris Wales was made however if you missed this or want to donate to their wonderful programmes to keep audiences in Rottingdean entertained please look here for ways in which you can help http://www.rottingdeanarts.org.uk/how-you-can-help
Gig at the Brunswick Pub in Hove
The next public outing of the band will be on Sunday 2 June at the Brunswick Pub in Hove. The evening will feature Dave Williams on vocals and the band playing new material and many of the swing standards. Starts at 7.30pm. Entrance free with retiring collection,
Dave Adkin - The saddest news
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| Dave Adkin |
Dave Adkin, long time member of this band and band leader of The Big Band Sounds for several years, passed away on Friday 16 November 2018. Aged 81, Dave fought gallantly with intestinal pain during 2018 which, despite surgery in November, ended in his untimely death. The band is devastated to lose him and his great contribution to the band and our thoughts are with his wife and family at this time.
A more detailed obituary will follow but for those wishing to attend his funeral the details are:
Check out the forthcoming gig for the Big Band with the cjildren's charity Chestnut Tree House on Friday 22 April
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